Sandy Carson – Contemporary & Commercial Photography

Passing Place

Passing Place is an intimate portrait of both my mother and the village I grew up in the West of Scotland after emigrating to America at a young age. This series deals with separation, space and the invisible family bonds that exist despite physical distance incurred by geographical displacement.

The name is inspired by one-lane rural roads with wide spots that are common in Scotland, allowing vehicles to pass each other and continue on their journey.

These photographs and memories made on annual visits home since 2001, are a testimony to my upbringing and a gentle reminder that absence creates longing and nostalgia across the miles. I wanted to make a record of everyday domestic rituals and routines during the rare times we spent together, to distill time with the portending passing of my mother last year.

By uniting my photographs with the ephemera and family photos left behind by mum, I am striving to fill the void by retracing our lives, embracing my formative years we spent together and absorbing the ones we lost.